Cover for curb boxes and the like



Sept. 4, 1951 V V E, AGLE 2,566,870

COVER FOR CURB BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed March 4, 1947 l ENVENTOR, Vicbor E. Beagle E? Q25 Z ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r 2,566,870 r a COVER FOR CURB BOXES AND THE LIKE Victor Emanuel Beagle, Alexandria, Va; Application March 4, 1947, Serial No. 732,206 V 1 Claim. (01. 220-55 This invention relates to covers for curb boxes and the like. An object of the invention is the provision of cover for a curb box which may be supplied as a standard unit but which may be employed also as a replacement cover for various forms of curb boxes, said covers being readily applied and secured in position by several simple operations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efficient cover for curb boxes in which a pair of depending flanges at the inner face of aflat circular plate of the cover cooperate with projections on the inner wall of the curb box for screwing the cover in position with a bolt threaded into said plate and engageable with one of the projection for retaining the cover against ready removal thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efficient cover for curb boxes and the like in which a concentric flange depending from a circular flat plate of the cover being in snug contact with the inner wall of the cylindrical curb box cooperates with a fragment of a helicoidal web depending from the plate and threadedly receiving a lateral projection on the inner wall of the curb box for attaching the cover to said box, a bolt threaded into the flat plate engaging the lateral projection for clamping rigidly the cover to the box and preventing unauthorized turning of the cover.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of cover for curb boxes constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention described herein.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cover.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the under face of the cover showing certain faces of a pair of depending flanges.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the cover similar to that illustrated in Figure 3 but disclosing the opposite faces of the flanges.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the cover applied to a curb box, and

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the curb box with a modified form of the cover.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 1-4 of Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l0 designates generally a curb box which is mounted in the ground adjacent the curb of a roadway. More specifically, however, the numeral 10 indicates the bell flange at the top of the ordinary box. A lateral and horizontal flange ll extends inwardly of a vertical offset 12 on the upper end of the bell flange. The free end l3 of the flange is curved concentrically and is disposed within said bell flange. A lug I4 is on the innerwallof the bell flange and diametrically opposite the lateral flange or lug l I. Said lug I4 is located below a horizontal plane passing through the lateral flange H.

A cover for the curb box generally designated by the numeral zll'includes a flat circular plate or disk 2| which has a raised boss 22 on the upper surfaceforming-a reinforced section of the plate for a vertical passage23 into which isthreaded a bolt 24 having a slotted head 25 at the exterior of the cover- 20. The bolt extendsinwardly'of the curb box so that the free. end thereof may engage the flange II for a purpose to be presently explained.

The inner face of the plate has depending flanges 30 and 3| cast thereon. Flange 30 has a concentric outer wall which neatly fits the inner curved wall of the bell flange of the curb box as shown in Figure 5. One vertical edge is cut away as shown at 32 for engagement with the lug M which acts as a stop to limit turning movement of the cover In. Theopposite edge 33 of the flange 30 is sheared off at a slight angle to the vertical.

The flange 3| which in effect is a fragment or section of a helicoidal web has its base where attached to the underface of the plate 2i disposed eccentrically with a respect to said circular plate for a particular purpose. It will be noted from Figures 4 and 5 that the web has a wide concave mouth 35 which is progressively tapered toward the reduced end 36 adjacent the bolt 24 so that the free end l3 of the flange or lug Il may be received by the wide mouth 35 of the helicoidal web 3| when the plate 2! is rotated with the helicoidal surface of the web moving along the free end I3. The eccentricity of the helicoidal web 3i provides a cam surface 34 which is adapted to contact the free end 13 of the lug l I on the box 10 and such cam surface is effectively and progressively increased from the wide mouth portion 35 to the narrow concave portion 36 so that as the cover is turned toward its final or closed position the cam surface will tend to increase progressively its pressure on the free end of the lug l I.

In application, the cover is lowered on to the top of the curb box with the depending flanges 30 and 3| being received within the open end of the box. The cover is so positioned over the box in such manner that the cut-away portion 32 of the flange 30 is behind the lug H1 in Figure so'that the free end l3 of the lug or flange He by the afrow'ifi Figure 5until the veritcal wall of the cut-away 32 of the flange 30 is in line with the lug [4. The cover is then pressed down on the box when the cut-away portion will be drawn into engagement with the lugl4;

During the rotation of the cover to its final position the free end l3 of the lug I I rides on the helicoidal surface of the web 3 ufitilther'duced portion 35 of said surface reaches the free end l3 where it is frictionally engaged with the suriace nt this time, the'fiange or lug acting on t e gen ticssiifg'ase some to" position the outer concentric wall of heflange 30in contact with t e inner wan off thle jiiti box [of so that the: cov r can not as tilted; The bolt 24 is, then screw'd downwardly; with t e free end of said tl'i higllfl bolt co'o' zfer'ates wicntnem'g 14- 1e; re 1: tfi'e cove'r" n place;

it isdesiied to remove th cover, the b'olt 21? is loosened sea the cover is" tilted slightly to remove the cut-away ion 32 from the lug I 4 and then rotates for releasing the filioidal siir'fac'e iiorii tlie" lii H. The cover ifiay then be lifted ifeely Du'to the ec'c'nt 6*! the lilicdidal web 3! it is possimeror sa (1 '6 to act on the ldg l I for pressing the flange so and the wan of the box [0. Such eccentricity also causes the surface acting on the lii' H press the cover down on the tea In the modified form shown in Figure 6, the cut-away portion in the concentric flange 30-a is in the form of a notch 32-11 to receive the lug I4.

I claim:

A cover for a curb box provided with a lug and an inwardly disposed horizontal flange arranged diametrically opposite each other, said cover consisting of a flat/disk having an eccentric helicoidal flange depending from the under face of the disk, a concentric flange depending from said under face and having a cut away portion extending upwardly from the lower edge thereof, the inwardly disposed horizontal flange of the curb box being engaged by said helicoidal flange for drawing the disk down onto the box upon rotation of the disk in one direction, and said lug engaging the cut away portion of the concentric flange for limiting rotation of the cover, and a bolt threaded in a vertical passage in the disk and being positioned are p'o'int opposite thecut away poruonpr the depending flange, said bolt e gaging said horizontaLflange at right angles thereto" for maintaining the cover against rota tion and for drawing the concentric flange tight againstrthe lugl M p V VICTOR EMANUEL BEAGLE.

, REFERENCES siren The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 133365 Birch Oc't. 1g, 1376 1,148,567 Batt Aug. 3, 1915 1,533,726 Bierce Sept. 11, 1928 1,738,556 Beagle Dec. 16, 1929 

